Vegetable-harvesting machine.



No, 894,262. PATENTED JULY 28. 1908. A. G. ELLINWOOD. VEGETABLEHARVESTING MACHINE,

APPLICATION FILED JULYZS. 1906'.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

WITNEEJSESZ wma/ww 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED JULY 28, 1908.

A G ELLINWOOD VEGETABLE HARVESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 26 1906 WITNEEEEE. {m1 fir N or 894,262.PAT'ENTED JULYZB, 1908.

A. e. ELLINWOOD.

v VEGETABLE HARVESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED' JULYZB. 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Wi NE55E5: I Y 110a: .zzz. (um- 4 j W? M 01%.JJZW BY UNITED STATESPATENT oFFIoE.

ALBERT G. ELLINWOQD, OF BATAVIA, NEW YORK.

VE GETABLE-HARVESTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented July 28,1908.

Application filed July 26, 1906. Serial No. 327,908.

To all whom it vn ag concern:

Be it known that I,AL'BERT G. ELLINWOOD,

a citizen of the United States, and residing chine, of whichthefollowing is a specificae tion.

This invention relates to machines for withdrawing vegetables from theground and,-preferably, delivering them to a suitable basket, crate orother receptacle after having severed the'vegetable transversely at somepoint in its vertical length.

My present invention comprises means for raising the vegetable orwithdrawing it from the ground as the machine asses over the groundwhere the vegetables ave been growing and delivering the vegetable to acutting mechanism, and in providing also means whereby the point wherethe vegetable is cut or severed is entirely independent of the distancewhich such vegetable protrudes upwardly from or above the ground.

While many features of my invention are especially adapted to theharvesting of vegetables in general, that embodiment of my inventionherein shown and described is more especially adapted to the harvestingof cabbages, and in such machine I provide means for grasping the stalkor stump of the cabbage just below the head and raising the cabbage fromthe ground, causing it to travel or pass, preferably in its pathway to asuitable receptacle, between or into engagement with suitable cuttingblades or knives adapted to remove the stumpfrom the cabbage at a pointas close to the under side of the head as practicable, and I alsoprovide means for adjusting the Plane of such'cut relative to the headof the cabbage and also means for drawing the cabbage, in the case of mypresent machine, downwardly so that the head thereof shall be engaged byand rest upon a suitable guard or support,normally fixed but adjustablerelative to such cutting blades.

The accompanying drawings, illustrating such a machine areas followsFigure 1 is a top view of the machine with the yoke Y and the guards g,seen in Figs. 2, 6 and 7, removed. In. Fig. 1 some of the concealedparts are indicated in dotted lines, as will at once be understood. Fig.2 is a side elevation of the machine, and in Fig. 2 also concealed partsare indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a rear end view of themechanism for driving the worms S seen in Figs. '1 and 6. Fig. 4 showsthe mechanism for yieldably su porting the shafts s carrying the wormsS. 1g. 5 is a view of the upper end ofthe shafts a with the cutters cthereon and the guards g thereover. Fig. 6 is a top view of the rearortion of the machine, showing the guar s g and the yoke Y in place. Inthis figure also concealed ortions are shown in dotted lines, as wi at"once be understood. Fig. 7 is a rear end elevation of the machine andFig. 8 shows the arrangement of the'bearing for revolubly supporting theinner ends of the-shafts 'w and the up er ends of the shafts a.

Similar etters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

I Wlll first describe the frame-work of my machine.

Dare longitudinally disposed frame pieces having secured on the undersides thereof a continuous cross piece E at the rear and thediscontinuous cross pieces F and G. Parallel with the frame pieces D areseen. I beams I located considerably within the frame pieces D. These Ibeams I support the inner ends of the cross pieces F and to the innerends of these cross pieces F are secured the upper ends "of the inclinedchannel -bars H, while the crosspieces G are secured on the under side,as stated, of the frame pieces 'D and they abut against and are securedto the channel beams H. upon the upper sides of the cross pieces F andG. From the under side of these tongue pieces T there extend brackets hto the upper sides of the channel beams 11. The tongue pieces T aresecured together by any suitable means not shownat their right hand andforward ends. Such tongue pieces are not shown in full as theirarrangement and use is so thoroughly obvious as to call for no furtherdescription herein and the method of attaching them together at theirright hand ends constitutes no part of my present invention. Restingupon and secured to the frame pieces D are seen the uprights C contheirupper ends by means of the cross pieces B, ant such cross ieces B areconnected .t-ogether by the t1e beams A extending and having their u perends secure on the under side of the I Tongue timbers T are secured.

came I, such braces k nected in transversely arranged pairs'acrosscomprising flat plates ofiron bent to quarter twist at the point Wherethey are attached to such I beams I and to the chanto securel therewithat the proper distance apart and to prevent any sprea in .of the partsof the The opening beneath this yoke Y ermitthe head of the largest beharvested, to pass freely machine. is such as to cabbage, to thereunder.

The several parts of the above described frame-workof my machine aresecured together by means of connections, which, form- 'mg no part of mypresent invention and be-' ing of a characterso well known in the art asto call-for no -fu'rther illustration, are not herein shown anddescribed.

To the rear ofthe machine and to the left,

' as seen partially in Figs. 1 and 2, there is secureda receptacle Bbeing attached to the cross piece. Eand to the frame pieces D by means,ofbrackets as shown. The wheels W of my machine, shown only in outlinein Fig.

. 2, are secured-upon the outer ends of shafts are revolu w, such shaftsrevoluble in bearings w and w ,each of suchbearings '41; comprises 111effect a double bearing and is supported on the side and under edge ofits corresponding beam I, as shown in Fig. 8. The fiangesof the 1 beam Iare cut away, as indicated in Fig. 8 to receive the bearings w and toreceive and permit the-rotation of the gears 10. In the upper part ofthe bearings w there ly supported shafts a and upon the upper ends theshafts a are secured the bevel gears a "meshing with the bevel gears Wsecured on the inner ends of the shafts w. The lower ends of. the shaftsa are revolubly supported in suitable bearings carried on the brackets kand on the lower ends of these shafts a, and below the lower bearingstherefor are secured the bevel gear wheels a meshing in turn with thebevel gear wheels a secured upon the lower ends of the shaftsa which arerevoluble in bearings also carried by the brac ets or braces k Theseshafts a carry the spur gears a meshing with the spur gears a securedon'the'lower ends of the shafts a revoluble in bearings near theirlowerends carried by the brackets h and revolubly supported at their upperends in lbearings carried by the channel beams H.' The up er ends of theshafts a carry sprocket whee s d just above the u per flanges of thechannel beams H and t ese s rocket wheels (1 are connected by sprocket cains (1 with similar sprocket wheels (1 revoluble upon studs pro'ectingu wardly.

from the upper flanges of t e channe beams H and near their lower ends.Just below a the lower flanges .on' the channel beams H 'are seensprocket wheels (1' carried by theshafts a. and connected by sprocketchains d with similar sprocket wheels d revoluble upon studs projectingdownwardly from the lower flanges of the channel beams H.

The right hand shaft w has secured thereon and between the bearingstherefor a sprocket I wheel 6 connfectedby a sprocket chain 1) with thesprocket wheel 1) upon the shaft 6, u on which shaft there is securedthe beve gear 12 in the right hand frame piece D and I beam I. The bevelgear 6 ineshes in turn with the bevel gear e carried upon theshaft 'erevolu- The shaft 6 has its bearings ble in a gearing carried bythecross piece E,

and'over this sprocket wheel e there passes a sprocket chain 8 engagingthe teeth on a similar sprocket wheel 6 on a shaft, not seen, butrevolubly supported in a'bearing 'seen near the left hand end 'ofthecross piece sprocket wheel '01 and under the left hand sprocket wheelit, The sprocket wheels i .E. As indicated in the drawings. and shownare secured upon the shafts 8, each revoluble in bearings s thereforpivotally supported from the brackets i secured one at the for ward endand one at the rear end of each of the I beams I. The bearings s havedownward extensions pivoted to the lower ends of r the brackets 'i topermitthe shaftss to move to and from each other, and they areadjustably held at any desired distance apart by means of the sprin s 1,as indicated in Fig.-

4, operating to yierdably force the shafts 8 towards each other.- Boltsare rovided for limiting the motion of such sha ts 8 towards each other,as also indicated in Fig. 4. The slack in the .chain .9 permits of thismovement of the shafts's to and'from each other. The shafts s carry theworms S whose function will be. explained later.

On the u er ends of the shafts a are secured the 1sk-like cutters c andjust above ably secured, at their rear ends on the bolts 7r projectingupwardly from the cross piece E, and at their forward ends upon theupper flanges of the channel beams H where they extend over and aresecured just forward of the sprocke'twheels (1 T he rear ends of theseguards 9 being su bolts k projecting upwar y from t e cross iece E andsuch bolts being threaded and aving nuts beneath and above the guards g,such guards 9 may be adjustably supported at any desired height.

The lower ends of the channel beams H are formed up, as indicated in thedrawings, into orted u on the .right while the ada ted to more fully oftill drawn to the rear, so that the into engagement with and between thesprocket chains 1 and 01', the links on such sprocket" chains carryingprojections o engage under the head e cabbage, and, as the machine ad,-

vances at nearly or quite the same rate at Th which the sprocket chainsd and d are drawn to the rear with the cabbagebetwen them, the cabbageis caused to be raised nearly or quite vertically out of the ground andthen carried by and d to the rear. until the upper end .of the stumpthereof is brought into engagement with the worms S, the left hand oneof which, as seen in Figs. 6 and 7, revolves over to the right hand onerevolves over to the left, as shown by the arrows in Fig. 3, and by thismeans he stump of the cabbage is not only carried to the rear with thehead of the cabbage nesting in the guards but the action of these wormsS is also such as to draw the stump downwardly as the cabbage is head isbrought firmlydown upon the guards g,-causing the cutter disks to severthe head from the stump at a pointja proximatin very closely the unders1de of t e head, and the point of the cut may readily be adjusted bythe ad justable support already described and seen at the rear end ofthe guards g.

In using my harvesting machine the usual evener and whiflie trees areattached to the A pole pieces T and the horses are hitched one preceding11 on each. side of such pole pieces. The mac ine is t us drawn over-thecabba e field vgith the wheels W one o the center of the machlne, thehorses walking in the space between such centerrow and an adjacent rowon each side. The scoop-like pro'ection, h on the channel beams Hengages uncler the heads of the cabbages as the machineadvances until acabba e isengaged by the sprocket chains d and the projections 0 on thelinks thereof, the proportion of the gears being preferably such thatthe machine advances at about the same rate that the inner adjacentmembers of the sprocket chains d and ii are moved to the rear.

on each side 0 a row A receptacle R may be provided when de-' sued toreceive the heads of the cabbages after they have been severed from thestumps by means of the cutters 0, each head as it is forced along bythe. worms S and severed from its stump operating to force the heads tothe rear on the guards 9 rom which they fall off into such rece tacle.

. I desire to call attention to the fol owing features in In harvestingmachine, viz, The plane of t e cut of the cutting device is independentof the height which the vegetables extend above the ground and also1ndependent of-the points in such ve etables engaged by the withdrawingmec anism. ain, means are provided for adjusting the which the vegetasuch sprocket chains (1 such wit drawing cabbages and wlth such rowpractically in plane of the cut relatively to the vegetables of theheight les extend above the points at which they are engaged by thewithdrawing. mechanism. ere is also provided a guard against which thevegetables are drawn or forced as they areadvanced'to and intoengagement with bill)? cut-ting device and such guard is adjusta e.

It will of course be understood that the range ofadjustment may bevaried to suit and that too independently ground or of the ,theconditlons under which the machine is worked. By elongating the bolts kthe range of adjustment may be increased to any desired extent.

What I claim is 1.-In a vegetable harvester; means for withdrawingthevegetablesfrom the ground; a cuttin device; mechanism separate frommeans adapted to receive the vegetables t erefrom and operating to,bring the vegetables into engagement with such cutting device; a guardadapted to engage and sup ort apart of such vegetables and .means ordrawing such vegetables against such guard as they are advanced towardsand into engagement with such cutting device.

' 2. In a Ve etable harvester; means for withdrawing the vegetables fromtheground a cuttin device; mechanism separate from such wit drawingmeans adapted to receive the vegetables therefrom and operating to bringthe vegetables into engagement with such cutting device; a uardadjustable relatively to such cutting evice and adapted to engage and suport a part of suchvegetables' and means or drawing such vegetablesagainst such guard as they are advanced towards and into engagement withsuch cutting device.

' 3. In a vegetable harvester; means for withdrawing the vegetables fromthe ground; a cutting mechanism; a guard adapted to engage thevegetables at a point between the ends, approximately at the cut andbetween the two portions'thereof formed by the cut and means forbringing the vegetables into engagement with such cutting mechanism andholding them against such guard While being cut.

' 4. In a vegetable harvester; means for withdrawing the vegetables fromthe ground; a cutting mechanism; a guard adjustable relatively to suchcutting mechanism and adapted to engage the vegetables at a pointbetween the ends, approximately at the cut and-between the two portionsthereof formed by the cut and means for bringing the vegetables intoengagement with such cutting mechanism and holding them against suchguard while being cut.

5. In a ve etable harvester; means for withdrawing t e vegetables fromthe ground;

' withdrawing the vegetables from the ground; a cutting device;mechanism separate from acutting mechanism; aguardadapted to engage thevegetables approximately at and between the two portions thereof formedby the cut and means, comprising a revolving worm and a cooperatingmember to hold the vegetables in engagement with the threads on theworm, whereby the vegetable is forced against the guard and intoengagement with the cutting mechanism by the rotation of the worm.

6. In a vegetable harvester; means for withdrawing the vegetables fromthe ground; a cutting mechanism; a guard adapted to engage thevegetables approximately at the cut and between the two portions thereofformed blv the cut and means, comprising two cooperating and oppositelyrotating worms adapted to engage the vegetables between the threadsthereon, whereby the vegetable is forced against the guardand intoengagement with the cutting mechanism by the rotation of the worm.

7. In a vegetable harvester; means for withdrawing the vegetables fromthe ground;

a cutting device; mechanism separate from .such withdrawing meansadapted to receive the vegetables therefrom and operating to bring theminto engagement withsueh cutting device and means, adapted to engage thevegetables and to be reactively operated on thereby according to thevarying conformations thereof, whereby the vegetables are brought intoengagement with such cutting device at a practically constant pointbetween the root and the top, determined by the conformations of thevegetables.

8. In a vegetable harvester: means for such withdrawing means adapted toreceive the vegetables:therefrom and operating to bring them intoengagement with such cut-. ting device; means, adapted to engage thevegetables and to be reactively operated on thereby according to thevarying c-onforma tions thereof, whereby thevegetables are brought intoengagement with such cutting device at apractically constant pointbetween the root and the top, determined bythe conformations of thevegetables and adjustable means forvarying as desired such practicallyconstant point.

9. In a vegetable harvester; means for withdrawing the vegetables fromthe ground;'

a cutting device; means for bringing the vegetables into engagement withsuch cutting device and means, adapted to engage the vegetables and tobe reactlvely operated on thereby according to the varyin conformationsthereof, whereby the vegeta les are .brought into enga' ement with suchcutting device at a practica ly constant point between the root and thetop, determined by the conformations of the vegetables. 4

10. In a vegetable harvester; means for withdrawing the vegetables fromthe ground; a cutting device; means for bringing the vegeetables intoengagement with such cutting.

device; means, adapted to engage the'vegetables and to be reaotivelyoperated on thereby according to the varying conformations thereof,whereby the vegetables are brought into engagementwith such cuttingdevice at a practically co'nstantpoint between the root and the top,determined-by the conformations of the vegetables and adjustable meansfor varying as desired such practically con-- 'stant point.

11. In a vegetable harvester; a cutting device; means for bringing thevegetables into engagement withsuch cutting device and means, adapted toengage the vegetables and to be reactively operated on thereby aecordingto the varying conformations thereof, whereby the vegetables are broughtinto engagement withsuch cutting device at a practermined by.- theconformations of the vege-- tables and adjustable means for varying asdesired such practically constant point.

A BERT c. ELLINWOOD.

\Vitnesses Lo'rrm Wool), WM. G. STANDENMAIER.

